Falling Dusk
by Pigeon Parks
Summary: The war is not going well for the resistance. Their fellow wizards have deserted them, the werewolves and the giants won't work with them and all seems lost. But now Dumbledore has an idea. It's going to be a very long year for the Cullens...


I don't own Twilight or Harry Potter… J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight.

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These meetings were never easy but they were familiar in a sense and that familiarity calmed him some. But that fact was totally irrelevant by the time his mind told him that _he _was completely useless. For the time being at least. Until he could get his name cleared, there wasn't much Sirius Black could do save play host to the Order and pray with the willingness of a holy man.

And that bugged him.

It would bug anyone, even people who weren't brave enough- or, in this case, smart enough- to join the Order of the Phoenix or who didn't want to be involved with this 'petty' war. It was maddening, just sitting around waiting for something, anything, to happen. It was like he was back in Azkaban again, like he was a caged bird with its wings clipped so it couldn't fly away. And for a man like Sirius- exuberant, free- spirited, stubborn, though most would call it hard headedness, and courageous- being caged was one of their worst fears.

But he swallowed his fear of being caged just like he had swallowed the rats he had survived on last year. It was completely worth it, he always convinced himself, before the stupid, pessimistic voice in the back of his head could retort. Yes… if it kept the people around him safe, particularly the ones he loved- his godson, Harry, and Remus to name a few- it was completely, utterly worth it.

But that didn't stop the irritation from coming whenever Dumbledore called a meeting and this particular meeting was no different.

He had already been slightly agitated with Dumbledore by the time he had heard secondhand that there was to be an emergency meeting from Molly Weasley and Mundungus Fletcher- though, he didn't quite trust Dung's word but when he heard it from Molly, he grudgingly believed it.

He was in a bad mood when he finally took his seat beside Remus Lupin, his old school friend and, in his opinion, only confidante that wouldn't snitch on him, and Remus gave him a guarded look for good reason. Stupid werewolf senses. They always noticed the tiniest little things. But then again, his mood swings were notorious right now and people could only guess why. He was, in ways, rather predictable, constant.

"Uh, you okay?" Remus asked quietly, so only Sirius could hear him.

"I'm fantastic. Absolutely. Bloody. Fantastic. You?" Sirius spat acidly. Remus cocked a brow but was not amused with Sirius's sarcasm and foul mood and he made that fact known, rather pointedly, with the look on his scarred face.

They didn't say anything more for Dumbledore had just walked in. He looked like he had aged about fifty years in the short space of time since Sirius had last seen him. His long, white hair seemed almost spastic in some ways and his forever twinkling- something that pissed Sirius off for no reason- forget-me-not blue eyes appeared to have lost some of their original shimmer. They looked almost a shade darker than they were in the last meeting.

But the thing that struck him- and it wasn't just him either; he could see many that were as shocked as he was- was how old he looked. Dumbledore had always been spry and looked younger than his years. But now, he looked closer to his true age than his old appearance let on.

The start of his speech was a rerun of last week's speech, but Sirius could tell that the outcome of this speech wasn't going to end in silence and unanimous agreement like the last one. This meeting, he sensed was going to be a lot more… vocal, for lack of better words.

"Good Evening, all. I trust that you've all been well?" Dumbledore asked rhetorically, his voice weary. He didn't expect much of an answer, that much Sirius could tell, and the vague nods of heads and uncomfortable silence were only testament to that.

Without much pause, Dumbledore continued. "As you all know, we haven't been gaining much support. Remus has brought back some significant evidence that the werewolves are not catching onto the idea of joining us and Charlie Weasley has had little luck with convincing the Romanians," he explained.

"So what's the point?" Mad-Eye Moody growled. He was the only one in the group that really didn't care either way if he disrespected Dumbledore. He was just too old, and honestly, too cantankerous.

"My point, Alastor, is that maybe we should be looking for help outside of the Wizarding World," Dumbledore said pointedly.

This shocked the Order members into stunned silence for a moment, before the questions started ringing.

Sirius managed to shout out his question first.

"Who else is there to contact? The Ministry has left us, which doesn't surprise me with all of the bunglers in there but there is simply no one else left to contact that knows of our existence," Sirius said, the rest of the room going quiet.

"I realize this, Sirius," Dumbledore said evenly.

"Then why suggest it?" Emmeline Vance asked sharply.

"Because there is a race of beings quite familiar to us that don't wish to be a part of our world. They are a very solitary race and are extremely hard to come by. I'm sure you know the creature I am speaking about," Dumbledore said.

"You're talking about the vampires. But what do they have to do with us? They know of our existence, but they won't help. They won't come in speaking distance with us," Remus said stiffly.

"Correct, Remus. I am aware of the attitude of the vampires towards us but I'm not talking about the vampires of our world. I'm talking about the vampires that live outside of our world," Dumbledore said, sounding slightly exasperated, as if he was annoyed with everyone because they couldn't see what he saw.

Everyone looked at each other and then at Dumbledore, wearing the same expression that quite clearly said 'Dumbledore has finally cracked'.

Remus was the first to recover.

"Albus, are you sure… that there are _vampires _of all things… living on the streets _outside_ of the Wizarding World?" Remus chocked out.

"Remus is right. Are there really vampires out there?" Kingsley Shacklebolt said in his deep, slow voice.

"And why didn't we know about this before?" Sirius demanded.

More questions and queries rang out and it sounded more like an angered parliament debate than a meeting for a while. Dumbledore held up a wizened hand and everyone dropped their questions.

"Everyone, I know this is shock for all but you must bear with me for another twenty minutes. Now, I didn't have any idea about this outside race until about… fifty years ago when I met Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his family in the United States.

"Now, when I met Carlisle, I had my misgivings about him. He was extraordinarily pale and he was, for lack of better terms, quite beautiful. He couldn't be older than his twenties, possibly his early thirties, yet his oldest sons were around seventeen and eighteen years of age. And it wasn't just him who was slightly strange. The entire family was strange. They looked nothing alike but yet, they all had one dominant feature that graced them all. They all had gold eyes.

"I was suspicious of them, but I knew that Carlisle and his family meant no harm, especially the youngest son, Jasper Hale. But, I happened to have the misfortune of giving myself a paper cut and all Hell broke loose in a sense.

"Jasper went crazy. Edward Cullen, the eldest, had crashed into him while Emmet Cullen, his brother who was around the same age, tried to restrain him. Jasper, all the while was hissing and growling in such a way that it was hard not to see that the Cullens weren't exactly human. Now that the cat was let out of the bag, Edward and Emmet felt no need to hide their own snarls and growls. Edward, who was obviously the weaker and the smaller of the two, kept snapping his teeth in Jasper's face whilst Emmet held him back. Meanwhile, Carlisle and his wife, Esme, were stabilizing their daughters, Rosalie Hale and Alice Cullen. Eventually, all of them, save Carlisle, had to leave.

"Carlisle hardly noticed the blood in those days. He was a doctor and he didn't mind it or went crazy whenever he smelled it. It was slightly surprising, to say the least, when he so willingly explained their situation and their unique way of life. I was once again startled when I learned that the Cullens had gone cold turkey on human blood. They sustained themselves by the blood of animals.

"At first I was skeptical. But then he gave some convincing evidence. If they were the conventional vampires, Edward and Emmet would have let Jasper continue in the hunt for my blood. And the color of their eyes were another huge factor. Many vampires' eyes are red. Theirs were gold. The blood of the animals had diluted the color of their eyes so much that it had turned their eyes gold. And it was then I learned that Carlisle was much older than he let on as were Esme, Edward, Emmet, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie. Carlisle was nearing his three hundredth or so birthday and Edward was about seventy at the time. The others, I'm not too sure about. Edward wasn't exactly shy after Carlisle explained everything. But, anyway, in repayment for not telling anybody about them, they said that they would come if called and or needed. And I think it is time to use that call," Dumbledore finished.

Sirius was almost pretty sure that his heart had stopped beating somewhere in that story but he wasn't sure about everyone else. Molly Weasley looked like she was having a conniption and beside her, Arthur was staring blankly at Dumbledore, his body stock still. Remus was quite still as well, a thoughtful and very calculating look on his face. Many of the members were barely breathing.

"So… are you trying to say… that we should get help from a clan of vegetarian vampires?" Minerva McGonagall, who had been quiet for the entire meeting, said in a shaking voice.

"They are a very powerful family Minerva, the largest coven in existence. And they can dance around some of the smaller covens as well, the ones that haven't gone cold turkey," Dumbledore said.

"But what if they turn on us?" Remus asked logically.

"They won't. They are painfully loyal, both to the human race and to Carlisle. If Carlisle told them not to attack, they're going to honor that order to the best of their abilities. And it's been fifty years since I've last seen them. For all I know, Jasper could have the best self control out of all of them by now. You never know," Dumbledore said.

"Exactly, Dumbledore! You _don't_ know! Remus is right. What if one of us starts to bleed and they can't resist? It's not exactly going to end well for the vamp or for the one that's getting bitten. It's an unnecessary risk and I don't like it," Sirius growled. A few nodded in agreement.

"Black, you maybe right about the risk factor, but I don't think the risk is unnecessary. In fact, I think we need to take a bit of risk. It might tip the war in our favor, with the vampires on our side. They're practically indestructible," Moody growled in return.

"Of course… 'The greatest hazard in life is too risk nothing'… Mad-Eye's right, I think. The tide will shift and if Dumbledore is right about this coven being able to dance around other covens, then they will be able to persuade the other vampires to join us," Nymphadora Tonks said, her young voice sounding oddly serious.

"Of course, Albus… you must do what you think is right, regardless of what we think," Molly said quietly, her brows furrowed. She looked at Sirius and he returned her look. He knew immediately that if there was one thing that he and Molly could agree on- and there weren't many things- it was their dislike for Dumbledore's plan.

"And I will do what I think is right," Dumbledore said before saying a quick goodbye and leaving the kitchen.

It was as if some spell (no pun intended) had descended upon the impromptu conference room- it was actually the kitchen, still grimy from years of disuse- and the silence that that spell brought was thick and cloying.

Sirius was the first to leave.

He pushed in his chair quietly, a first for him but a sure sign that something was off, and left the kitchen just as quietly.

He walked into the hallway containing the screeching portrait of his late mother, Walburga Black. He slowly put his head against the wall, the cold, grimy surface feeling almost welcome against his skin.

He trusted Dumbledore, despite the fact he was quite angry with him. He trusted him, and he hoped that that trust wasn't misplaced.

***

All was still in Forks, Washington. Dusk was falling and the small town's inhabitants were preparing to eat dinner with the rest of their family and retire for the night.

All except for one family.

In a very secluded spot just outside of Forks, the Cullens were still awake and not eating dinner like the rest of the families. Instead, the family of nine was settling in for the long night.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen heard the clock chime seven times and he turned his face to the west. The rest of the 'family' moved with him. The entire room was still and silent as they all watched the sun disappear behind the trees, sending rays of bright yellow, red, and orange into the strangely well lit house. Then the light disappeared entirely behind the horizon.

"Finally," Edward Cullen murmured as he took his usual seat at the piano.

It was as if Edward's movement had broken the invisible spell the sunlight had cast upon them. Carlisle and his mate Esme moved fluidly to the loveseat and together, they curled up both of them carrying books. Edward's wife and mate Bella moved to sit next to her husband at the piano bench, their daughter Renesmee's hand in hers. Renesmee scrambled into Edward's lap and watched intently as Edward's long fingers flew across the piano keys. Bella hummed along with the piano, her head on Edward's shoulder.

Alice and Jasper Hale were curled up just like Carlisle and Esme but instead of reading, they were watching a movie on the flat screen, the volume very low. Emmet and Rosalie Cullen had long since disappeared into one of the bedrooms. Every once in a while, they would hear a low moan coming from the upstairs area, creating a variety of reactions, all of the reactions varying from rolled eyes, looks of disgust, and shaking heads.

Night proceeded like every other night for the family of vampires. Everyone was silent, except for Bella and Edward's very low singing that only their daughter could hear Bella's high soprano and Edward's baritone mixing harmoniously.

They weren't expecting any nighttime visitors.

Renesmee, who had been in an almost comatose state by eleven, woke up with a start in Bella's arms. Her nostrils were flaring, her vampiric side taking over completely. The gold in her eyes was strangely pronounced and the dark irises were unfocused severely.

Edward stopped playing the piano abruptly, turning to stare at his daughter. Bella stared as well, her honey golden eyes very intense. The movie stopped as Jasper and Alice turned. Carlisle and Esme were studying Renesmee with a rapt attention. Emmet and Rosalie appeared at the foot of the steps, looking slightly disheveled but decent, confused and intense looking.

"Nessie? Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Bella crooned quietly, stroking Renesmee's curly coppery bronze hair. Everyone stopped breathing as Renesmee brought a slender hand up to Bella's cheek. It was obvious that Renesmee was not quite capable of coherent speech in the state that she was in. She was still in 'sleep mode' and it was wonder how she didn't buck Bella's arms off her slim shoulders.

Bella's eyes widened a fraction.

"Nessie smells someone approaching from the southeast," she said simply but tersely.

Everyone was frozen for approximately two seconds before they sprung into action. Bella swung Renesmee onto her back and she and Edward both made for the deck just off the living room. Carlisle and Esme were hot on their heels. Jasper and Alice ran to the foyer to use the back door. Emmet and Rosalie sprinted back upstairs to use the window in Edward's room.

Edward and Bella jumped first. They jumped fast and landed cat-like. Renesmee hadn't been jostled a bit. Carlisle and Esme were right beside them in half a second.

Alice and Jasper sprinted out a moment later. Emmet and Rosalie were heard as their feet touched the ground. They assembled in a loose but also very tense circle.

"Alright, we've never had to deal with something like this. If it were the werewolves, we would know. Their scent is very strong and distinct. But we don't know what we're facing here other than it's a single human. We need to check the perimeter. Edward and Bella, you take the west perimeter, near La Push. Since the wolves know you, they won't give you much trouble. Emmet and Rosalie, take the mountain path. You're best suited for it. Alice and Jasper, take the east perimeter. Esme and I will take the center. If something changes or we find something, we'll contact you. Let's go," Carlisle said in his gentle voice. But something was different about it now. It was laced with a hard edge.

They were sprinting towards their designated paths in an instant.

***

Dumbledore wasn't sure when sensed them coming. He just knew that they were coming.

He could sense them from all sides but the closest ones to him were the ones coming right at him from the center. He smiled. That was exactly what he wanted.

He knew that they would jump to defend their territory as soon as they caught a whiff of an unfamiliar human in the area. The Cullens may have been unconventional but they weren't completely without vampire like qualities.

Two of the Cullen family appeared before him and he knew them instantly. Carlisle and Esme.

Carlisle hadn't, of course, changed a bit in the last half century. His wheat blond hair was slightly tousled but his immaculate, neat clothing- a pair of dress pants with a button up light blue dress shirt; very casual- did not have a fleck of dirt on them. His pale, chiseled face practically glowed in the moonlight and his wary eyes shone like golden orbs. Recognition flickered in Carlisle's eyes, but his wary approach did not stop.

Esme was unchanged as well. Her wavy, strawberry blonde hair cascaded past her shoulders and it bobbed somewhere close to her waist. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a very tight fitting t-shirt, revealing all of her curves and lean muscle. Her pale face and bright eyes were just as wary as Carlisle's were.

Carlisle started moving his lips very fast but no sound came out of his mouth. Dumbledore knew that he couldn't hear this form of communication. It was too high. Suddenly, three more vampires approached from the west.

It was Edward, a female he didn't recognize- his mate, he guessed- along with another female that bore a close resemblance to both of them. Their child? He didn't know if vampires could reproduce or not.

Edward looked even warier than Carlisle and Dumbledore could just make out a deep rumbling noise emanating from Edward's chest. His face was dead serious and his eyebrows- looking very dark in his pale, beautiful face- were deeply furrowed. His khakis and pullover were looking slightly out of place in the forest. His eyes were very bright.

The female was dizzyingly beautiful with straight, heavy hair the color of mahogany mixed with chestnut that brushed her waist. Her eyes were, of course, the generic gold coloring that marked the Cullen family. She looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, but for all he knew, she could be as old as Carlisle, though it was highly unlikely. Her body was very rigid and tense through the jeans and light blue long sleeved shirt she wore. He could just barely make out her teeth and wary face. He guessed her defensiveness was born from the worry for the child on her back.

The little one on the female's back was awake, but only just. Her eyes were a deep chocolate brown, flecked with a hint of gold in them. Her cherubic face was surrounded by long, coppery bronze curls that reached her waist. She was small but seemed to be around nine, maybe ten years old, possibly younger.

Two more vampires appeared. It was Alice and Jasper. Alice was still the small, spiky haired, gorgeous little girl he remembered. Some faint recognition flashed in her wary eyes. But she was by far, the most relaxed out of them all.

Jasper looked nervous, his golden eyes darting from Carlisle to Esme to Edward to Edward's mate, to Alice, and then back to him. He had a mixture of wheat blond and bronze hair but the color of his hair was only magnified by his pale complexion.

At last, though the whole reunion couldn't have lasted more than thirty seconds, the last two vampires made their appearance. Emmet and Rosalie.

Rosalie was still the thin, curvy, blonde haired beauty he had seen fifty years ago. Her eyes, however, were softer somehow, more human like instead of the hard, steely glare he had received years ago. She looked at him with a mixture of apprehension and wariness, sometimes looking to Emmet to see what his reaction was.

Emmet was hulking, muscle-y, and quiet. His brows were nearly hidden by his dark hairline, his pale complexion looking vaguely taut around his high cheekbones. His golden eyes bore the same emotion every member of the coven was feeling. Wariness. He looked to Carlisle for answers but saw that he had none. Emmet settled on looking at him with an expectant look on his face.

Dumbledore looked around again, the same smile still gracing his lips.

He heard an intake of a false breath coming from his left.

"Carlisle," Edward warned in a low, tense voice.

"I know, Edward," Carlisle answered, his voice just as quiet and tense.

"So you do remember?" Dumbledore asked hopefully. Carlisle, Edward, and the rest of them nodded. The female beside Edward had her eyes locked on him, but Dumbledore could tell that her stance was much less tense and wary, encouraged by Edward's reaction.

"How could we not? It was the first time someone has ever done that in our house. But what are you doing here Albus?" Carlisle answered, his voice sounding like he was singing.

Dumbledore was silent for a minute. But then he smiled.

"I'm here to collect some old dues, in a sense. I have a proposition to make…"

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Should I keep going with this? Please review. I have cookies! Okay, I really don't but please review!!


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